Drown Out All the Pain
by jayhogartismyangel
Summary: When one of his best friend, Clare Edwards decided to introduce him to a friend that she'd been talking to/helping online who came to meet her, Adam Torres certainly didn't expect to fall for the girl.  Kristina/Adam ship and EClare. TWOSHOT
1. Chapter 1

**Drown Out All the Pain**

**Summary: When one of his best friend, Clare Edwards decided to introduce him to a friend that she'd been talking to/helping online who came to meet her, Adam Torres certainly didn't expect to fall for the girl.**

**Pairing: Adam Torres/Kristina Davis, Clare Edwards/Adam Torres friendship, Clare/Kristina friendship, EClare.**

**A/N: This is set a few months after the lockdown. Krissy and Clare bonded over familial problems(Clare's parents are divorced and Kristina doesn't get along with her mob boss father and it came out what happened to her brother, Michael in jail.) in a chatroom and began to IM, email, and write eachother.**

"I don't get it!" Adam Torres complained, crossing his arms and resting them on the round table as he narrowed his big, blue eyes at Clare Edwards, one of his best friends.

Clare furrowed her eyebrows in confusion of his words and then tilted her head to the side as she looked him over with her baby blue eyes. "Don't get what?" She asked of him innocently.

"Why you want me to meet this girl. I know how it's going to end. She'll find out that I'm a Female to Male transgender and have a freak out-just like Bianca did. You _know _she will." Adam growled fiercly, looking down at his shaking hands.

The tiny blue eyed red-head sighed and reached a hand across the table to place ontop of his own. "If she does, I'll punch her. But I can promise you that she _won't_. She's not the type. Besides, she has her own secrets." She told him carefully, a small smile lighting up her face.

For months now, Clare had been talking to her two best friends, Adam and Eli(who was also her boyfriend of a few months) about a girl that she'd been talking to online. A day didn't seem to go by where she wasn't talking about Kristina Corinthos-Davis. She'd even went as far as to show Adam and Eli pictures of the girl in question and her brothers and sisters, and Adam had to admit, the girl _was _very pretty. Even more reason to be convinced that she wouldn't like him. She seemed much more suited for a guy like his stepbrother, Drew Torres.

"What are you two talking about?" Eli asked as he walked over to his table with Clare and Adam at The Dot, taking a seat.

"Clare was telling about how much she wants me to meet Kristina. She seems convinced that we'll fall for eachother or something." Adam replied as he hooked his feet on the legs of his chair, grabbed up his comic book and began to flip through it as he tilted his chair back.

Eli threw his head back and began to laugh, green eyes sparkling mischeviously. "Does it really bother you _that _much?" He asked in amusement as he slipped an arm around his girlfriend, pulling her close as he looked at his friend with his signature smirk and raised eyebrow.

Clare leaned her head back on Eli's shoulder as she looked at her friend, too.

Adam wrinkled his nose. "_Gross!_ Do you two have to do this around me?" He whined as he chucked a french fry at them.

"You know, I have to agree with him." A voice chirped out, a good natured laugh hidden behind it. "You two are kind of sickingly sweet."

Clare's blue eyes lit up brightly and she let out a loud squeal as she jumped out of her seat, pratically knocking it over. "Krissy!" She yelled happily, running torwards the girl who had spoken and throwing her arms around her.

Adam turned in his seat to look at his friend and the girl that she had so wanted him to meet and he had to swallow hard. She was prettier than even her pictures had depicted her. She was taller than Clare by a few inches and rather thin. Her dark, silky brown hair fell to her shoulderblades and her dark brown eyes sparkled brilliantly. He turned back around in his seat, unaware of how red his face was.

The dark haired, green eyed boy smirked as his long hands with the Sharpie painted nails gripped his coffee cup. "You still against Clare hooking you up?" He teased his friend.

Adam huffed grumpily, crossed his arms over his chest and glared daggers at his black-wearing, hearse driving best friend, clearly not impressed with Eli's attempts at a joke.

"Come sit down!" Clare said, wrapping her pale, slender fingers around Kristina's tanned ones and dragging her over to the table. She went back over to sit next to her boyfriend and smirked as a blushing Kristina took a seat next to an equally blushing Adam.

Eli put leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I think I'm a bad influence on you, Edwards."

The auburn haired, blue eyed girl blushed and giggled a little before looking straight at Kristina. "Krissy, this is my boyfriend, Eli Goldsworthy and my best friend, Adam Torres." She said, introducing the three other people at the table.

Eli reached a hand across the table for Kristina to shake, giving her a sincere smile. "It's nice to finally meet the person that my girlfriend has been gushing about."

Kristina smiled at him and leant in to shake his hand. "Likewise." She took in his features. He was cute and she could totally understand why Clare would fall for a guy like him. After all, wasn't it like that old saying: Opposites Attract? But to tell the truth, she was much more interested in the mysterious boy sitting beside her. He was sitting in his seat as if he was trying to protect himself, for whatever reason. Clare hadn't told her much about him in her emails, just that he was this sweet, adorable, fun guy with a slightly nerdy side. It was so strange. It was almost as if Clare was trying to keep something hidden from her. She gave Adam her brightest smile and said, "Hi. Clare told me alot about you. She said that we would probably get along." Her eyes went to Eli and Clare who seemed to be in their own little world and in an attempt to get rid of the awkwardness, she said, "And something tells me that _we _are totally going to bond over how third-wheel these two make us feel."

It worked because Adam finally cracked a small smile and let out a laugh as he leaned torwards her slightly. "Believe me. They were so much worse when they _weren't _going out."

The brunette girl's smile widened and she shook her head in disbelief as she looked at the corner in question out of the corner of her eye. "Nah-ah! Not possible!" She denied with a girlish giggle. As strange as it was to say about a person she just met, this Adam character had to be the first guy near her age who she wasn't scared of getting close to. Even with Taylor-her study partner back in Port Charles, she hadn't felt this comfortable. There was something-different about this boy. Something that she really liked. She thought that Clare would be her reason for visiting, and she _was _but Krissy found herself more eager to learn everything there was to know about Adam. And she was so going to get her way. After all, She was a Davis-Corinthos girl!


	2. Part Two

**Drown Out All The Pain**

**Part Two**

Adam sighed as he walked into his bedroom later that day. He threw himself onto his bed and buried his head into his pillow as he thought about what had happened at, The Dot with Kristina. She was everything that Clare had told him that she was and more, as cliche as it may sound.

But he still couldn't help the worry and fear that filled his soul. What would happen when she found out his secret? Would she abandon him because of it, or would she become disgusted like Bianca had? He didn't expect her to understand or accept it. Not many people would, beyond Eli and Clare.

Kristina laughed as she jumped onto a giggling Clare's bed, resting her feet flat on it as she laid her head back on the pillow, next to Clare's. "You know, you were right about me liking Adam. He seems like a really cool guy. Kind of shy though, which I don't guess there is anything wrong with. It's just not what I'm used to. He seems so...different from other guys. I don't have this fear that he's going to hurt me." She told her auburn haired friend.

Clare looked up from the newest, Fortnight novel that she was reading and bit her lip. "Yeah, yeah. He is. Just...don't pressure him into telling you everything, okay? There's a reason why he's so reserved."

Kristina's eyebrows arched up, curiously and she frowned a bit, in thought. "It can't be that bad, can it?" She asked the girl beside her.

The auburn haired girl sighed and she said, "I wouldn't say that it's bad, no. It's just something that alot of people in our school aren't accepting of." She looked down at her lap sadly as she thought of everything that her best friend had to go through, just because he was trying to be who he wanted to be.

The brunette looked at her as she bit her fingernails. "Well, do you think that he'll ever feel comfortable enough to tell me?"

Clare's blue eyes flickered up to the ceiling and she let out a soft groan, tossing her book aside. "I don't know." She confessed sadly. "It's not something that he's told many people. Atleast not willingly. They all just found out. It got spread from one person to the next and travelled through the whole school.

"Well, whatever it is, it won't stop me from liking him" Kristina said firmly. "I mean...look at the guys in my life. My first boyfriend, Keifer was abusive, I had this...silly schoolgirl crush on Ethan, because he was _nice_ to me, Johnny's in the mob and so is my father. I can't exactly make judgement without seeming like a total, hypocritical bitch."

The next day, Clare called Eli and Adam, inviting them to come to her house since her mom wasn't going to be home for three days. While Adam and Kristina sat on the couch, watching television, Clare grabbed Eli by the arm and pulled him into the kitchen to talk. "We need to get Adam to tell Kristina his...secret." She said, swallowing hard and chewing on her bottom lip.

Eli raised his eyebrow and looked down at his girlfriend, pursing his full lips. "What brought this on?" He asked her, curiousity overtaking him.

She sighed and sat down in a chair, bringing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them, resting her chin on her knees. "Last night, after The Dot, Krissy and I were sitting on my bed. She brought up Adam, and how much she liked him and how shy he was. I kinda asked her not to push him to tell her anything. That he had his reasons for being so reserved. She told me that nothing could stop her from liking him and then asked if he'd ever tell her, what was "wrong". I told her that I didn't know. But I really think that she could handle it. I mean, that girl has been through so much. And so has Adam. I really think that they could make eachother happy."

"How would we convince him? We can't just make him tell her, if he really doesn't want to." Eli said in a harsh whisper.

Clare looked down at her tiny toes, painted a hot pink color. "I know. I just really want them to be honest with one another, Eli. I don't want them to start a relationship with one another, while keeping secrets." She told him carefully. She looked up when he put his fingers under her chin and their eyes locked, blue on green.

"I know that you want what's best for them, but they've got to take it at their own pace. You can't fix everything." He told her gently before leaning in and kissing her on the lips, smirking a little bit as her fingers threaded into his hair and pulled him in even closer.

"Wonder what's taking Clare and Eli so long in the kitchen?" Kristina asked, turning to Adam. She blushed a little bit when she realised how close they really were. "I mean, it really shouldn't take that long to grab some snacks." She rambled nervously, face blushing a deep red. This boy really had an affect on her.

Adam took his eyes off of the television and locked eyes with her, shrugging one of his shoulders. "They're probably making out." He stated blandly, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

Kristina's mouth fell open and she felt herself turn even more red. "No way!" She denied. "They wouldn't forget about us like that."

The boy beside her rolled his eyes. "So you say." He drawled. "But you've only been here one day. You don't know them like I do."

Her eyes narrowed at him and she slid off of the sofa, heading torwards the kitchen.

Adam cocked his head at her, throwing the remote beside him on the sofa and hurrying after her. "What are you _doing?" _He hissed in disbelief.

She gave him a mischevious little grin as she turned to look at him, her tiny hand on her hip. "I'm going to prove you wrong." She told him matter-of-factly.

He rolled his eyes and scoffed as they peeked around the wall, looking into the kitchen. He stifled a laugh of amusement at the site before him. Much like he'd told Kristina, their friends were in a full on make-out session at the kitchen table.

Kristina turned to him, eyes narrowing as she saw the smirk on his lips.

"Told ya." He sing-songed, his blue eyes lighting up as he laughed at her.

"Don't laugh at me!" She squealed, hitting him playfully in the shoulder as she moved torwards him.

Adam caught her hand with one of his and gazed down at her.

Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at him, with wide eyes. She leaned back a bit so her back was against the wall. He looked as if he wanted to kiss her, and as much as she liked him, that worried her. Ever since what happened with Keifer, she hadn't liked the thought of a guy touching her and it was always so hard to keep from flinching. Somehow though, she didn't have that fear with Adam. Not like she did with everyone else. But she still didn't know how she'd handle being kissed. She certainly didn't know whether or not Adam would truly want her if he knew how damaged she really was. She braced herself as Adam leaned in even closer, ducking his head down a little bit to press his lips to her's. Almost of their own volition, her eyes fluttered shirt and her arms moved to wrap around his neck. She slid, one hand down the side of his neck, moving it torwards his chest when he ripped his lips away from her's. Her brown eyes opened in disappointment, but that soon disappeared, being replaced by worry when she saw the frightened look in Adam's eyes. "Adam..." She murmured, trying to move her hand to touch his cheek.

He moved away from her shaking his head. "I'm so sorry. I can't do this." He whispered, before he turnd on his heel and ran out the door."

Tears stung at her eyes as Kristina watched him run away from her and she collapsed to the floor in sobs.

"Krissy?" Someone asked worriedly.

She lifted her head and saw Clare gazing down at her with concern written in her eyes.

"What happened?" The auburn haired girl asked, taking a seat beside her while Eli stood in the corner watching.

"Adam and I kissed." Kristina murmured sadly, as she remembered his lips on her's. "I loved it, you know?" He's the first guy that I haven't been scared to let touch me since-" she trailed off and shook her head. "But he pulled away when I slid my hand down torwards his chest and he looked so scared and he apologised and he said that he couldn't do this. And then he ran out the door. I don't understand it. I thought things were going so well."

"Damn it!" Eli swore under his breath, green eyes looking thoughtful.

"I'm going to go talk to him!" Clare announced, jumping up off of the floor. Determination lit up her eyes as she waltzed out the door, leaving Eli and Kristina alone in the house.

Eli sighed and slid to the floor beside Kristina. He noted the way that she flinched away from him when their shoulders touched, and thought he knew what Clare had meant when she had said that Kristina had dealt with alot in her young life. "You know, it's not your fault." He stated, breaking the silence. "He doesn't know how to deal with what happened. There's this...part of himself that he hates. That he feels is wrong. And the fact that the last girl he liked was a total bitch and tore him apart because of it-because of something that he can't really change, has hurt him. He doesn't feel like you'll like him once you find out."

"It's like I told Clare. It doesn't _matter _to me. I feel like I can trust him and he makes me feel so safe. I haven't felt safe in a long time." She told him, voice cracking with emotion.

Clare found Adam sitting on the edge of the sidewalk. His arms were crossed on his knees and his face was buried between them. She moved torward him and took a seat, her arm slipping around his shoulders and pulling him against her. "Adam." She sighed. "Look at me please."

His head lifted up and he shook his head at her. "If you're going to yell at me then just get it over with." He told her listlessly.

"I'm not going to yell at you. I just wanted to make sure that you were alright." She told him gently, hurt shining in her eyes at the fact that he thought that she'd yell at him.

"Sorry." Adam apologised with a shake of his head. "I shouldn't have said that. I know you wouldn't judge me like that."

Clare smiled at him and shook her head, kissing his cheek. "It's alright. I just don't like to see two of my friends hurting. Especially when there is no reason for that to happen. I honestly think that if you told Kristina the truth, she'd understand and she would still like you. She's not like Bianca."

"Clare..." He was about to deny.

"Don't you remember what I told you? She's been through alot and she has her own secrets. She wouldn't judge you for something that you can't change." She told him firmly. "Now how about we go in so that you can talk to her?" She stood up and held her hand out to help him up. He slid his hand into her's and stood.

Adam and Clare walked back into the house and Eli and Kristina both got up from the floor. Clare hurried over to Eli and laced her fingers through his and skipped up the stairs with him following behind her, leaving Krissy and Adam alone.

The two teens stood there, staring at eachother awkwardly for a few moments before Kristina swallowed hard and decided to speak.

"Listen, I don't know what your secret is, but I won't judge you for it. Whatever it is. It can't be any worse than anything that I've done or has happened to me."

Adam snorted dryly. "Clare told me that you wouldn't judge me, but I doubt you've dealt with something like this." He told her in a hard voice.

Kristina's eyes darkened considerably. "If you think for one second that I don't understand pain then you are sadly mistaken! If you want to know the truth, the first and only boyfriend that I've ever had beat the hell out of me. It all started with a slap, then came the insults, and soon he started beating me so hard that it knocked me unconscious and I'd be sent to the hospital. I had to live with the fear of people touching me, because all I knew was being beaten. The sad part is that I covered for Keifer over and over again. I even accused someone who'd never hurt me like that and told the police that he'd been the one to beat me up. All because I didn't want my father to kill Keifer and because I was angry about Ethan not liking me as more than just a friend. And that's not it. My mother accidentally hit Keifer with her car while rushing me to the hospital. He died because of it. And then later, I find out that he might have been abused by his father. And Ethan...he forgave me for lying. He understood and we are good friends and I always feel so goddamn guilty when I look at him, knowing that my lie could've very well been the death of him. So don't you _dare _tell me that I wouldn't understand, because that's complete bullcrap." She hissed loudly.

His eyes widened in horror at her words. He wondered for a few moments how someone could possibly hurt her like that before he said, "Kristina, I am so sorry."

She shook her head, the tears once again stinging her eyes and streaking her cheeks, making her makeup run. "I didn't tell you this so that you'd feel sorry for me. I told you so that you'd know that you could tell me anything. I mean...I think that you like me. Atleast, judging by the kiss you do. I just think we should be honest with eachother before we rush into a relationship. I want to know you, Adam. I really do."

Adam squeezed his eyes shut and finally decided that he was ready to tell her. It was now or never. If she left him, she couldn't say that it was because he wasn't honest. "I'm a female-to-male transgender." He said in a low voice. "Ever since I was a little kid, I'd hated wearing dresses and playing with dolls. I enjoyed dressing in jeans and tee-shirts and playing with toy trucks and bugs and action figures. About a year or two ago, I finally became who I was meant to be. Adam. I wasn't Gracie anymore and I was happy for the first time in my life. I was finally who I wanted to be. Who I identified myself as. I didn't tell many people. Just Clare and Eli, and they accepted me. This girl that I had a crush on, Bianca-she found out by accident when she smacked my chest playfully. She freaked out and ripped my shirt and exposed my bandages. And then the school found out. Needless to say, some people didn't react so well."

Kristina stared at his tense form wide eyed, not knowing what to say. The news didn't effect how she saw Adam. She still saw him the same as she did before she knew his secret, it was just so shocking.

He sighed and tried to stand up. "I knew that you wouldn't want me once you knew." He said shakily.

Her hand shot out and wrapped around his wrist, pulling him down to the floor beside her again. "It's shocking, yes. It was the last thing that I expected, too. But Adam, I'm not willing to give this up. There's something between us."

Adam looked at her, mouth falling open.

Kristina reached a hand to his face, brushing her fingers over his cheek, featherlight before she moved in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. It would be a little complicated. It would take some getting used to, but she was stubborn enough to go through with this. She wouldn't be turned away.

**The End**


End file.
